NGO tasks FG, states to empower PwDs through skill acquisition programmes

The Global Initiative for Civil Stabilisation (GICS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called on the federal and state governments to empower people with disabilities (PwDs) through skill acquisition programmes.

Mohammed Al-Mansur, chief executive officer of GICS, spoke during a one-day media capacity-building workshop for journalists on Monday in Abuja.

He said that it was important to put in place skill acquisition initiatives for PwDs to make them independent and able to live meaningful lives.

“In Nigeria, we tend to relegate issues of disabilities to the background. We prefer giving persons with disabilities little tokens and we think that solves their problems,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“We are expected to look at a holistic way we can fully integrate these people into the society. A lot of these people beg for alms not because they want to be beggars, but because of economic realities confronting them.”

Al-Mansur said if educational programmes were developed for PwDs, they would be guided towards career paths and employment opportunities would be provided for them.

Odoh Diego, a communication expert and facilitator, at the workshop, sought an end to the use of PwDs for alms begging.

“The law criminalizes the use of PwDs to solicit for alms. But, because of our cultural or religious norms, we think we are duty-bound to show them empathy,” he said.

“People need to be aware of the law. Since, 2019, when former President Muhammad Buhari signed the law, it became a crime to use PwDs for alms begging.

Mary Musa, a PwD, in her remarks, appealed for the implementation of the discrimination against persons with disabilities (prohibition) act.

“To pass a law is one thing. Implementing it is another thing. So, the bulk of the work lies on everybody to make it work,” she said.

The theme of the workshop was “Reporting for deepening the implementation of the 2018 discrimination against persons with disabilities (prohibition) act”.

The workshop was organised by the Differently Abled Civil Empowerment Programme with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Nigeria.